Loving Family
by BlackxValentine
Summary: Tony's daughter keeps him up and while he sleeps Steve comes by for a Christmas. After talking with Pepper and seeing her family Steve sees what he wants in his life.


**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN IRON MAN OR THE AVENGERS!**

**I thought of this while watching the Lion King for some reason and had to write it. Lol

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_"Mrs. Stark I am sorry to disturb you but Mr. Rogers is at the door. Shall I let him in?"_ The voice of their house AI asked causing her thoughts to be lost. "Yes."

The door unlocked followed quickly by it opening to show Steve Rogers stepping onto the doormat as automatically shut behind him. Looking back at the door still not used to it shutting by itself Steve looked to Pepper who quietly came into the room with two cups of coffee.

"Hello Steve." She said with a wide smile, the house unusually quiet.

Steve followed Pepper into the large living room, seeing the waterfall by the stairs to Tony's workshop wondering if he was down there working on his cars. The whole house was decorated with Christmas lights and a large tree sat in the middle of the living room, it was a beautiful display.

The trees lights blinked and changed colors, the delicate ornaments hung from almost every branch. It took Steve a moment to finally turn his eyes from the decorated home and ask, "How are you doing Pepper? Good I hope."

"I'm doing great Steve.. Tony… not so much." She said with a slight smile, seeing the concern come across the Captain's features. "What do you mean? Is he hurt?"

"No… he's just really tired."

"Tired?" Steve said a little taken back by her response, "If anyone's tired it would be you Pepper, you're the one who just had a baby."

"Well you'd think that but no… I'm feeling great." Pepper replied with an even bigger smile as she led Steve upstairs to Emily's bedroom.

The sight before him was something he wasn't expecting. Beside Emily's crib there was a small chair from one of the upstairs bedrooms that had been moved there recently, inside the chair was Tony Stark.

He was dressed in a wrinkled white shirt and black pants, his head lay against the back of the chair while his feet dangled over one of the armrests while his lower back was lying on the right armrest with his left arm over Emily who was beginning to wake up.

Steve didn't say anything, only following Pepper and watched her begin to take Emily. She bent forward letting her hair fall into her face, carefully taking Emily from Tony's protective embrace and handed her to Steve.

"She looks just like her mother." He said as the still tired baby gripped his finger and smiled, showing him her gums as Pepper shook Tony's shoulder.

"Tony…. Tony." She said quietly and shook him a little harder, causing him to jump and fall from the chair to the floor. He lay on the ground for a moment before looking around quickly, "Emily!?"

"She's fine." Pepper told him softly to calm him as she helped him to his feet, he looked tiredly at Steve. Running a hand over his face, the dark under his eyes and unkempt hair told Steve he'd barely gotten any sleep for a while.

"Hey Tony… how're you doing?"

Tony didn't even answer him, sluggishly leaving the room, walking downstairs and collapsing on the living room couch without a word. "Guess that answers my question." Steve said with an amused smile as the small baby in his arms looked down and reached towards the form of his sleeping friend.

Steve laughed at her trying to escape his arms, "No." He said turning her to face him while Pepper came back to the room. "I think you should let your father sleep for awhile." He told her, watching as Pepper laid a blanket over Tony and put a pillow under his head.

A faint glow from his reactor showing through the blanket as his body relaxed into deep sleep.

Pepper moved Tony's hair from his face and brushed the wild mane back with her hand, his eyes opened to her touch and using one arm he pushed himself a few inches from the white couch in a daze.

"Pepper?" He said sounding half asleep as he saw Steve bent down beside him, "Hey Cap."

"Hey." Was all Steve said smiling as Emily reached for Tony again, "I'll take care of Emily, and you just focus on getting some rest." Pepper said as he looked at her with a tired look of concern, "Are you feeling well enough?"

"I'm feeling just fine." She said, watching as he buried his face into the soft pillow. Quickly falling asleep Pepper kissed his cheek before leaving the couch with Captain America.

Jarvis dimmed the lights in the living room and shaded the windows while Pepper took Emily from Steve and sat her in a highchair, feeding her while talking with her guest.

"What's it like being parents?"

Pepper lifted a napkin to Emily's retreating face, she tried to move away only to be caught by her mother and having her mouth wiped. "A lot of work, but at the same time it's wonderful. Emily is crawling now." Pepper answered continuing what she was doing, Steve watching with his heart strings being lightly pulled.

Wondering if he would ever what Tony and Pepper have now, he was so deep in his thoughts on his future that he didn't notice the tear running down his face or the expression of shock Pepper looked at him with. "Are you alright?"

"Yea, I'm fine just… I'm just happy for you and Tony." Steve said wiping his face, Pepper's hand slid across the glass table and rested on Steve's. The avenger looked into the women's face as she patted his hand, "You'll find the person in your life." She said, her voice covering his fears and causing him to smile. "Thank you."

"I never saw Tony being a father.. He's really surprised me. He and Emily get along so well it's like they think the same things." Pepper said in amazement, "He'll be working on something in the workshop while watching her and she'll just watch… except when he gets frustrated. Then she laughs."

"She's a Stark alright… no question about that."

"Are you two sure it's alright that the other avengers have their Christmas party here? I mean with the baby and everything." Steve asked her with a questioning look, Pepper nodded.

"Its fine. They're coming soon aren't they?"

"Yes, they should be here in another hour."

The women stood from her chair, being sure to get Emily out of her highchair and hand her to Steve who took the baby with a smile. The girl grabbing his fingers again as she giggled in his arms while her mother got changed in the other room.

He rocked the small girl in his arms and felt another tear rolling down his face. "You have a wonderful family Emily; I just hope that one day I can have all this too… A wife and children to take care of." He said holding the baby closer to him and laying his cheek on her small head, feeling her bury her face into his shoulder and hold his shirt in her hand.

Pepper came out of the bedroom in red sweater and a black skirt, two green earrings hanging from her ears while her hair was pulled back in a ponytail that went down her back.

She went around the house cleaning up and preparing different things while Steve played with Emily on the floor, after an hour she finally turned to them.

"She really likes you Steve."

He looked back at the small girl who continued to play with her stuffed animals. _"Mrs. Stark we have guests."_ Jarvis informed them quietly, "Let them in Jarvis." Pepper said as she watched Emily crawl around on the floor as Steve kept an eye on her.

"Hello Pepper nice to see you again."

Pepper hugged her guests with a smile, "Hello everyone, please come in and make yourselves comfortable." She said in a professional tone as the other avengers walked in, "Oh Steve, we didn't know you were here already." Peter said to the captain who waved to them, "Yes I came by to visit before the party."

"Where is Emily?" Betty asked to no one in particular, Pepper hear a sound from across the room and giggled after seeing everyone else look over there.

She said nothing as she walked over to the couch and went around to the front; everyone else followed and was surprised to see Tony lying on it.

The small girl managed to stand herself up and was lightly hitting Tony's chest, His eyes opened halfway as his tired voice laughed. "You just can't let me rest can you." He said sitting up and casting a wave to the other people who were in shock at his appearance.

"Whoa.. Never thought I'd see Tony so worn out. Wish I'd remembered my camera." Peter said getting elbowed in the ribs by Janet a minute later, "Looks like someone is tired from playing." Pepper said seeing Emily yawn.

Tony said hello to the other avengers and picked Emily up, she snuggled into his arm as he nodded sleepily to the others. "I apologize for not joining you for the party.. But Emily and I need some shut eye." He said walking away, "Just take her up to the bedroom with you so the noise won't wake her." Pepper said as he nodded and slowly went back upstairs.

"Looks like Tony's been busy." Hank said as Steve nodded while in his own thoughts.

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**I know the ending isn't good but I couldn't think of anymore to write. I hope you like it… let me know if you want me to write anymore with Tony's daughter.**


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